Pressure to stop head in the sand approach to climate change

Pressure builds for NZ to stop ‘head in the sand’ approach to climate

Health professionals say pressure is mounting, both locally and in Lima at the UN climate negotiations, for New Zealand to pull it head out of the sand on climate. This includes international condemnation of our government's inaction as well as action on New Zealand's beaches this Sunday.

‘Around New Zealand, people will be heading to their local beaches this Sunday for a creative response to the government’s “head in the sand” approach to climate change,’ says Dr Rhys Jones, co-convenor of OraTaiao: The NZ Climate and Health Council.

‘New Zealanders increasingly understand that our changing climate threatens our wellbeing, that further delay is expensive, and that there are real health and economic gains from acting now,’ says Dr Jones.

‘Meanwhile, our government is coming under pressure in Lima to explain New Zealand’s lack of climate action’ says Dr Jones. ‘We have promised 5% reductions on 1990 levels by 2020, yet we’re on track to increase emissions by at least 36% above 1990 levels. This coming week New Zealand faces the first multilateral assessment of our climate inaction, and we have already been questioned by both China and the EU.’

‘NZ has also offered 10-20% emissions reductions by 2020 conditional on everyone else signing up to limit global warming to two degrees. But the “New Zealand approach” in negotiations is that emissions targets should not be legally binding - which the Treasury has said may mean the level of international action is less than what’s needed to limit global warming to two degrees. Yet again, New Zealand seems to be undermining both international climate negotiations and our own best interests,’ says Dr Jones.

‘It’s time for NZ to take its head out of the sand on climate and face reality in Lima. As a small, open economy with environment-dependent exports, we desperately need global climate action. The faster we act, the better for our health, our economy and our future. OraTaiao encourages our government to take healthy climate action in Lima now,’ says Dr Jones.

Seaside action is taking place at more than ten beaches throughout the country, detailed at https://www.facebook.com/events/1542095289341789/ .

ENDS

© Scoop Media